APPLES & APPLE ORCHARDS. [From the Field.]

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2236, 6 November 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

APPLES & APPLE ORCHARDS. [From t he Field.]

As the past two sea-ons Ij.ive given us good crop-, of ap|)k -, ,md as the trees are in many cas^s tin-, year only carrying light crops 1 think we might to turn the lesson thus taught us to tome useful account. Except tlut the tieerf have become exhausted through the production of two or three continuous heavy crops, there is nothing particular — at least, so far as Somerset is cmcen.ed — to which the present season's comparative failuie can be attubutod. The weather during the tune \\h<_n the tn.es were in bloom vva-> notp.trtieulaily uufavuinable, although cold; but we have known the trees to pa-* through a much more critical period and yet mature pood crop*. It h, therefore, clear that the trees ha\e become exhausted, and tint nature is as-orting her nght.s by giving them a- rest in order" to recnut their strength. Whcie the orchard is large and the uop luavy, it is als<, unpiacticable to thin the fiuit so as to reduce the strain upon the tree ; but in garden- v. htie the tree- aie but few the case i- different. It is quite practicable in that case to thin the fruit on bush 01 pyrir>iid tree-., and al-o on cordons and espalier-*, and where thini ing is systematic al]j' <lon? cvi ry year, theie is much trie iter ceitaintv of getting annually a cioi». We lv\ c pio\ ed tin- to be -o in the case of p> laimd tn c-> op which this ,ittentiou ha- b>m i)L-t'>wed ; they 1 „ye 0 >mc regularly for the-e pa-t eight ye. is, not always full ctoj)-, but they have n,*\er failed altogether, r-pvChdty those that are pretty lehable b»"uei-. As to s Mrc burning ipjile-j, did anyone evei 1 now erJier the old or the new form of H.iw thorndi n to be rpnte destitute of fi uit after the tiefs h.id reidied .i hearing sue ? Wo do not remember s^ch .i circuin-tance, although we have kii'ivvn both suits for nioii 1 than thirty y^ais ; almost as imirh may bo t«aid in lavom of Loid SuHield and Cf Him, booh of which are well hnowu to Ik- >r m >ie or le-s every year. We do not claim for the-e sorts any suprnor mei its m other respect*-, but for cilimry purposes they are vu y useful in furni-hmec .v supply of fruit fiom August up to Chii-ttna-. ivnpei n Alexander is another soit \\ Inch has borne ugul nly with u-. for seven! yiws i>i.st. Tiie tiees aie gio,\ing in a largo bu-h fiom ai .ait 10ft. in h< lght ; the blanches Li\e ail the young growth tut back to a '-pin cveiy autumn, and the roots ire pron >d wh<ni we n\ul th it the gi >v tli i< getting tuo -tiong. Tn sh a cniin o\ aji >le in u-e in 1) ember, ami it is \cr/ 1 ■> %'c and showy. Ko-vMck Codlin is another autumn apple that bears pietty io rri ilari3", as do al-o the Dutch and blanks Codlings. Flower of Kent is a very reliable sort for use in January. Pinice Albert (Lane's) is likewise a most useful apple and a trustworthy beating 1 It keeps well until March. Theie aie not many reliable bearers amongst dessert kind*. Ribston Pipp n, Kmtr of tne Pippins and Cox'.s Orange Pippin are the best ; Reinette de Canada and Margil are the next best bearer. Among't culinary kinds there aie several which, although not bearing regularly full crops eveiy year, yet bear pretty regularly, notably Co\\s Pomona, Couit of Wick, Jolly Beggar and Alfri-ton. With legard to the selection of siits to plant in orcb.ir'K it is noce-^.ny to ]ny m»e attenti m t ! i m ha- hith.it*> b^en *iono to tlm ch.i'acter oT the sit mti n\ —i c. w.'p thi-r it- i- t^po-e,] or shoH^i.;d. O.ily (. !• s > giow i.i'-r voits ;n p suitable foi p j < ~ed I'o-moii-. .M' i Ik.u'i i tio, a- thi_>' >'io c unmonh cdird,-f\ utoh the Fni.v Apple ,'trl T"in Ph't .ire tvi-t-. „Ie the b<_-t to clioo-e lei did aic's th.t much ex* 1 -ed to wind. Tnev do not leadi a gic.'t h ', r 'it, and tho b p the- nm.ii'ly g'«<w -i t'o-e togetliPi 1 th it mud I •- coihpn .tiv Ay 1 ' L f le powei ovei 'h'Mii. ?>l ">■- woulfl lu^lij-ly 1)> •-iirpiis'- ] tt 1!'" ... ''-it cf ]■>-- t!',\t a loiiiih niL'ht s 'Mild <«f r -m ran-e- in tt 1 '"1" 1 end */f September in -'i",e of the apple oic'n uds in the westni n c ip ti"- % here dioi(.,» '",'iit lsgioiMi. Weliivi ki> .nil luh v\na to '10-tioyas unidi fiuit in a few I,<>,i- us v. i jul d have h ilf p .!■! th > l ent >f at* ri ,mo orc'uid. Tie -'it- d.i.llv gi^wn m t'lis iP-tanc 1 v\ eie the l'!ei !i mu ( *r uig*- 1 , I >" t, unfoi tii'nteiv, the -ite i- e\p i-od o\ ill -ides O\cvnt the iiorf"h, ai-d i- < -h r :} i *'y e'.evati d, w hidi i> P(i.->- this ->it of .ipple wholly uns'utablo toi tue po-itlnn. Krju\ily bad i» it to pi .nt low -(J i-s glow mar v at n ti"s in tlie ni'i-t sheltered pi ices, which should be kept for 1 irge open headed ttef«, v l,i L h P'odnce the l.ugost ami be-t fiuit. Luge ope'i-1 » a.ied tics. <ue apt to away from the stem with -om,> lialf- i-t'o/en uiin bianche-, \\ i , iei c ! ■ , li Kft UMpiuned, c >nti'iua tower* -■" m l. j ngrh, ,n.' only fni m a few inter mi di iN 7 - btanu' :> - The con -l qr, nee i-,wmdi)i> i i I ,lp.iv\ei our every bi.mdi. T.i cic 'i ditii n mi-'iit i\i-ilv liive be »n alt-'ud if, if^ei the tiee ! id been plvited t«(iviis .'1 t'te brnu 1 ,,--, Lid bvn '.it back to uithin 22 f t. < r .Stt of the -to n, ac c ii'lmg to ii,, n number. This woul 1 have induced the I) andie- s > dealt with t > push oatt!"ee in fmi l.itei il-, thus gi ii'g a - :rh' i< nt n :mbei of rianche-5 to form the gio pi 'work of a we l- f mii-^e 1 !. el It 1 - quit ' n-'i >s- i, \ to juMfi -o",ie t' i ■*- liiek il)'>!it tin 1 r.tt'i o> ,\th you itc-'i jiiiitlig — i c., v" av\ ( 'll b.iai'ced head i- de-n^d, ,»n<i de-in 1 1 r -'i in Id 1- , for it i-- not cie mi 'iri-iz to - c toe bc-t fiuits il>>w ,i u*)*ler <,n. - fe* t !, u>v i go (.' tto git'iei tli> n. Ai' do not expect th.i { los-es fi.nn wind urn lie iHog.'tlioi ptevt nted, but we >>c s ili-fled t 1 at a judi M"- selection of - :itable f"i ms nf tue-Nii u rticul ir -it' J s, p d oare r ul pnuiing oi. the 1i es suggested, will do much to nntiuate theivil.